Kalanchoe plant named ‘Forever Maxi Sunray Yellow’

ABSTRACT

A new Kalanchoe cultivar named ‘Forever Maxi Sunray Yellow’ characterized by the combined features of yellow colored flowers and excellent lateral and basal branching.

Botanical classification: Kalanchoe blossfeldiana.

Varietal denomination: ‘Forever Maxi Sunray Yellow’.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofKalanchoe plant, botanically known as Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, and knownby the cultivar name ‘Forever Maxi Sunray Yellow’, Breeder No. 97-153-7.‘Forever Maxi Sunray Yellow’ was discovered through controlled breedingby crossing Mikkelsen Seedling No. 93-146-10 (seed parent, unpatented)and Mikkelsen Seedling No. 93-118-1 (pollen parent, unpatented) inAshtabula, Ohio.

Asexual reproduction of stem cuttings taken in Lompoc, Calif. has shownthat the unique features of this new Kalanchoe are stabilized and arereproduced true to type in successive propagations.

The following characteristics distinguish the new Kalanchoe from bothits parent varieties and other cultivated Kalanchoes of this type knownand used in the floriculture industry, namely, ‘Goldstrike’ (U.S. PlantPat. No. 6,632) and ‘Revelry’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,795).

1. ‘Forever Maxi Sunray Yellow’ has Yellow Group 7B colored flowerswhich are similar to ‘Revelry’ compared to ‘Goldstrike’ being a goldenyellow, Yellow-Orange Group 15B.

2. ‘Forever Maxi Sunray Yellow’ is a taller growing cultivar at 18 cmthan ‘Goldstrike’ at 14 cm and ‘Revelry’ at 12 cm.

3. ‘Forever Maxi Sunray Yellow’ has larger flowers (18 mm wide) than‘Goldstrike’ and ‘Revelry’ (15 mm wide each).

4. ‘Forever Maxi Sunray Yellow’ has an obovate leaf shape being almostround while ‘Goldstrike’ and ‘Revelry’ have ovate leaves.

5. ‘Forever Maxi Sunray Yellow’ has shallower crenate lobing of theleaves than either ‘Goldstrike’ and ‘Revelry’ which have deeper crenatelobing.

6. ‘Forever Maxi Sunray Yellow’ has a shorter flowering response time of8.5-9 weeks in the summer and 10-10.5 weeks in the winter than‘Goldstrike’ and ‘Revelry’ which are both 1.5 weeks later to bloom inboth seasons.

7. ‘Forever Maxi Sunray Yellow’ flowers keep up to 7 days longer underhome conditions than ‘Goldstrike’ and ‘Revelry’.

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof this cultivar taken as a face view of the plant and showing thecolors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in a coloredreproduction of this type.

The following is a detailed description of the new cultivar, based onplants produced at Oglevee, Ltd. in greenhouses in Lompoc, Calif. duringthe Winter season of the year. Plants were grown in 10 cm pots andmeasurements and photographs were taken 13 weeks after rooted cuttingswere planted. Height measurements were taken from the soil line of thecontainer. The plants were grown at 16° C. night temperatures, 3000-4000foot candles of light, and 200 ppm nitrogen, 75 ppm potassium, and 200ppm phosphorous nutritional levels, with trace elements added. Theplants were not treated with growth regulators. Habit of growth, foliagecoloration, leaf variegation, size of leaves, and peduncle length willbe greatly influenced by nutritional and environmental conditions.

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance areused.

Parentage: A controlled cross between female parent Mikkelsen SeedlingNo. 93-146-10 by male parent Mikkelsen Seedling No. 93-118-1.

Propagation:

(A) Type cutting.—Stem tip cuttings up to 3 cm long.

(B) Time to root.—10 days at 21° C. summer; 12 days at 21° C. winter.

(C) Rooting habit.—Fine, fibrous, abundant.

Plant description:

Habit and form of growth.—Semi-tall, semi-mounded; excellent basalbranching; flower clusters bloom above foliage. Environment and use ofgrowth regulators will play a role in final height. Average plant heightis 18 to 20 cm, average plant width is 28 to 30 cm.

Foliage description.—Leaves simple and opposite. Size: Average, fullgrown leaves on a plant when grown in a 10 cm pot are 7 to 8 cm long and7 to 8 cm wide. Shape: Obovate with obtuse apex and rounded to truncatebase. Texture: Glabrous; coriaceous and succulent. Margin: Crenate;shallow lobed. Color: Young foliage top side is Yellow-Green Group 146A,underside is Yellow-Green Group 146B; mature foliage top side isYellow-Green Group 147A, underside is Yellow-Green Group 147B.

Flowering description:

Flowering habits.—Inflorescence is a compound dichasial cyme. Terminalflower on main axis opens first followed by the terminal flowers of theside branches, continuing with the subsequent development of branches inthe inflorescence. Inflorescence is made up of the main stem and up to 8or more lateral branches depending on growing schedule followed.

Natural flowering season.—Early January. Flowering time under controlleddaylength at 20° C. in summer is 8.5 to 9 weeks; in winter is 10 to 10.5weeks. Flowering time depends on temperature, light intensity, and othergrowing conditions

Flower lastingness.—10-14 days for an individual flower.

Flower buds.—Oblong, up to 1.1 cm long before showing color, developingto tubular as flower petals mature; sheathed in four sepals coloredYellow-Green Group 144B.

Flowers borne.—Compound dichasial cyme with primary peduncle being 4 mmin diameter just below the first branch of the inflorescence; length ofpeduncle will vary depending on growing conditions. Pedicels vary inlength depending on where they are in the inflorescence. Externalsecondary branch pedicels vary between 2 mm to 3 mm.

Quantity of flowers.—Numerous long-lasting flowers as main stem plus the8 or more lateral branches will have 30 or more flowers each.

Petals,—Shape: Almost round, top cuspidate. Color: Top side when openingis Yellow Group 6A, fading to Yellow Group 7B; underside is Yellow Group6D. Number of petals: 4. Size of individual petals: 8 mm wide and 9 mmlong.

Sepals.—Shape: lanceolate. Surface texture: glabrous. Size: 5 mm longand 2 mm wide.

Reproductive organs.—Stamens: 8 in number. Anthers: Flat, elliptical inshape, yellow-green in color, 153C. Filament color: Yellow-green, 146D.Pollen: Yellow in color, 15A; abundant. Pistils: Stigma: Flat in shape,mature color is white, 155A. Style color: Green, 146D. Ovaries: 4 innumber, immature size 7 mm, green color, 146B.

Seed formation.—Seed formation occurs only under controlled crossingswith 100 or more very small seeds per ovary present. However, this isnot a seed grown crop.

Disease resistance: ‘Forever Maxi Sunray Yellow’ has shown resistance topowdery mildew. No disease problems have been observed to date.

OTHER IMPORTANT CHARACTERISTICS

1. Semi-tall growth combined with good lateral and basal branchingallows cultivar to be finished in a 15 cm pot from one cutting insteadof the usual three cuttings.

2. Excellent flower coverage on upper half of plant due to excellentlateral and basal branching.

3. No growth regulators are needed to grow this cultivar.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Kalanchoe plant named‘Forever Maxi Sunray Yellow’, as illustrated and described.